Zoe's Quest
Zoe's Quest is the sixth book in the Free Spirits series. The title character is a young woman who engages in a string of sexual escapades, while facing the prospect of an early death, encountering Free Spirits and others who change her life in the process. Plot synopsis George Bailey is driving from Boise, Idaho to Rochester, New York to begin his sophomore year in college when he picks up Zoe Morton, who is hitchhiking from Hermiston, Oregon where she grew up to visit her cousin Ariadne in the city of Stallbrook. She is dressed provocatively and is very flirtatious with him, and his disclosure that he is a virgin only encourages her, telling him that one of her fantasies is to have sex in a public bathroom. When they stop for gas and lunch, George agrees to go with her into a single-occupant rest room, where they engage in sex. They later spend the night sharing a motel room and have more sex, and George notices a large tattoo of the Grim Reaper on Zoe's back. They continue the next day, stopping by a wooded area on the side of the road to fulfill a mutual sexual fantasy, staying another night at a motel, until George drops Zoe off at Stallbrook's bus terminal before continuing to Rochester. Zoe checks some items off a list of sexual exploits, then contacts her cousin. Later, Doctor Marshall Chasen arrives at the Stallbrook jail, having been requested to evaluate a recent arrestee for possible psychological or medical issues – Zoe Morton. Zoe had hooked up with a man at a bar and taken him to an alley to have sex, where they were spotted by passersby who then called police; while they released the man with a warning, Zoe's confrontational attitude led to her being arrested, and her so-called "fuck-it" list of various sexual adventures was shown to Chasen. He asks her about it, and she reveals that her parents had controlled her life – especially knowledge of sex and potential social contacts – so as to prevent her from carrying the gene for Huntington's Disease to another child. Zoe's plan is to fulfill each of the items on the list, then commit suicide before the disease can ravage her body and mind. Chasen informs her that, under Stallbrook's reform policies, the charges against her would be quashed after ninety days if she agreed to his supervision and stayed out of trouble, and he further offers to continue talking with her about her plans well after the 90 days are up. She agrees, and is released from jail under his recognizance. Arrangements are then made for Zoe to stay with Joe and Carla DiAntonio; the couple shares with her that they have an open marriage (but also that they will not expect her to be a sex partner), and even more surprising to her, that they belong to a religious group that accepts such an arrangement. She later attends a Sunday celebration at the city’s Local Gathering of the Free Spirit Connection, where she meets Connor Lightfoot and his friend Sabine Moràn, and at their invitation joins them in a communion room for a threesome. Sabine also shares her email, agreeing to connect her with a polyamory group in the area for more possible escapades. Zoe lands a job at one of the Shake'n'Grill burger restaurants in the city, and has her first check-in with Doctor Chasen. They talk further about her list, and how her mother's controlling behavior contributed to her particular choice of items on it. She also mentions her excitement about meeting other friends of Sabine for more sexual encounters and discussion; Chasen encourages her to connect with the Young Poly group, and also explains how the police chief and district attorney have instituted a policy of de-facto decriminalization regarding consensual sex work, which intrigues her. Zoe then meets with Sabine, Luis Bermudez and other members of the Young Poly group at Café Sureño in the city’s South End; among the attendees are other Free Spirits, who talk about the other Gatherings in the area. Zoe talks about her desire to fulfill the items on her list, and the others share more ideas to add to it, as well as their willingness to help her act these out with her. Luis then proposed that they might have a group session in the café's basement that evening, and preparations are made for a consensual gangbang including bukkake. An enthusiastic Zoe thoroughly enjoys herself, as do the five men and four women in the group. Two days after the encounter at the café, Zoe is alone and horny, and decides to check out Stallbrook's red-light district, Creston Street. She witnesses a male sex worker negotiating a session with a client, then meets Maya and mentions her interest in doing sex work herself. Maya takes her to Pop's Diner at the southern end of the street to give her the lay of the land, including the app provided by the Jezebel Project to screen potential clients. Maya then introduces her to the staff of the two hotels on the street, where Zoe provides her information to the staff there. Later on, Zoe is approached by Ronnie for a session; they check into the Hotel Garfield and have sex, then Ronnie asks if he could see her regularly and she agrees. She later takes two more clients, then observes two police intervene on behalf of a sex worker who was approached by a rude fellow blacklisted on the app, and she is impressed with how the officers handle the dispute. She sees two more clients, including a man who likes to wear women's panties during sex, and ends the night netting close to four hundred dollars; she also reflects on how Chief Graham's policies ensure greater safety for sex workers and their clients in the city. At her second check-in with Chasen, Zoe mentions her doing sex work on Creston Street, as well as her encounters with members of the Young Polys and Free Spirits. Chasen is generally supportive, especially hearing that she is doing what she can to stay safe. They also discuss the psychology of how people try to control others, and how her mother and stepfather did so with her. Zoe next engages in a fantasy role-play with Peri Winger, Lila Jaworski, and Amalia Echevarria – all members of the Free Spirit community – followed by a threesome with Peri and Lila in their bedroom. The next morning at breakfast, Peri and Lila explain that their partner Andrew is away co-leading a workshop for the Connection for people who arbitrate disputes and ethics complaints within their community. When they are done eating, they go to the south metro Gathering, and after the Sunday celebration have an all-female gangbang in one of the communion room suites, followed by dinner and discussion at Tandy's Bistro in the city. Another Tuesday night on Creston Street, and Zoe has a session with a client named Billy, followed by Lacy Panty Guy. She is then approached by Timmy, a gay male sex worker, about arranging a session with one of his regular clients later on, and she agrees after hearing the details. A posh elderly couple then approach Zoe about arranging something with them; they talk at Pop's Diner, the wife explaining why they came to Creston Street instead of finding an escort online, and the husband providing his number to contact him after giving their proposal some thought. Later outside the Hotel Hayes, Zoe meets Abe, a disabled man who asks for some tender touching and sweet-talk as well as sex, and Zoe agrees; he is very appreciative of her performance, she hugs him and he kisses her hand before leaving. Having returned from his workshop, Andrew drives Zoe to the location for another fantasy role-play, centering around a job interview. The other woman, Kitty, arrives for the "interview" and mentions her need to masturbate frequently, leading to Zoe propositioning her, and the two having sex in the office. When they are done and have cleaned up, they meet Peri outside, who drives them home. Zoe meets Timmy at a subway station, and from there they walk to the Continental Place, a condominium complex where his client lives. After being welcomed by the client, and some prep time, Zoe joins the two men; the client is bound to a chair while Timmy verbally dominates him and spanks him with a leather-gloved hand. On cue, Zoe enters with a strap-on dildo to peg the client, while the client performs fellatio on Timmy. When they are done, Timmy begins to clean up in the room while Zoe goes to the bathroom to get dressed, pausing to use the vaginal plug in her strap-on harness to reach orgasm. The two men then meet Zoe in the living room, the client tipping them and indicating that he would very likely request a repeat of the session later on. As they leave the condo complex, Zoe and Timmy discuss their experiences as sex workers, including the reasons why their clients pay for sex. Waiting for her train, Zoe contacts Corliss Edmonds to agree to the overnight threesome with him and his wife, then checked her emails and texts for other appoints. Noting how quickly she is progressing with her list, she pushes aside the thought of her plans for when it is completed. At her next check-in with Chasen, he asks about her friendships and other social relationships. Zoe also mentions how she likes and empathizes with some of her clients, specifically mentioning Abe. Chasen mentions that he had originally worried about a lack of empathy on her part, but is now happy to hear her expressing such. He then raises the issue of her not mentioning the fact of her having Huntington's Disease with her friends, and how it might affect them to learn of it. Zoe now tries to shut down the conversation, but he insists on discussing the importance of her friends knowing about her medical condition. Zoe breaks down sobbing, and Chasen tries to comfort her. In another fantasy role-play, at the house shared by Peri, Lila and Andrew, Zoe plays a woman who has just moved into the neighborhood. As various "neighbors" arrive with gifts, Zoe greets each couple stark naked, invites them in, and encourages them to disrobe. This leads to Zoe taking turns with the three men and seven women to both give and receive oral sex from them in pairs, including having the men ejaculate on her. After the rest have gone home, Peri and her partners discuss what is left on Zoe's list, and she mentions some apprehension about retaining a sex worker for a session. Peri then offers to talk with their friend Bridget, a well-connected escort in the area, about the possibilities available. At the Shake'n'Grill where she works, Tito the assistant manager calls her into his office, and tells her that someone saw her turning tricks on Creston Street. She admits to nothing, says what she does on her own time is her business, but he insists that company executives might not look favorably if they heard about it. He then tries to make a pass at her, and she yells for him to leave her alone; when he grabs her neck and menaces her, she punches him and runs out of the office. When he chases her, other employees (who have made allegations against him in the past) pull him off of her and assail him with various utensils until he falls to the floor. Two coworkers help Zoe to the break room to rest, until police arrive and arrest Tito; one of the officers talks privately with her, expressing support for her and for sex workers in general, and gives Zoe her business card in case she needs more help. Back on Creston Street, Zoe has a session with Ronnie, followed by one with Lacy Panty Guy. Maya introduces her to another sex worker; she mentions a client named Frank, who likes to see a different woman each time for oral sex and to ejaculate on her while she masturbates, and Zoe agrees. Maya introduces Zoe to Frank, and Zoe takes him to her room in the Garfield for their session. He then explains to her that he has tactile hyperesthesia, which makes various forms of physical contact painful, even ejaculating into a condom; he also expresses guilt over obtaining sexual release in this way, but Zoe gives him reassurance. Later she talks with Maya about Frank’s circumstance, and about other clients who may have particular psychological or medical circumstances. She is then approached by a South Korean tourist and takes him to her room for a quick session; his amusing behavior after sex makes her burst into laughing after he leaves. Back on the street, she tells two police officers about how their colleague supported her after Tito’s arrest, and they express their appreciation for hearing about it. Zoe then dresses up for her night with Corliss and Marian Edmonds, who have arranged a car service to pick her up and take her to their home in Glen Hills. Zoe shares some wine and conversation with them, also checking in with Carla, before they proceed to the bedroom for a night of three-way sex. In the morning, she washes up in the guest bathroom and shares breakfast with them, and they give her a monetary tip and a bottle of wine before she leaves in the limousine service they’ve arranged back to the city. At her next appointment with Doctor Chasen, he focuses on what she is feeling about Tito’s attack on her. Zoe indicates that she’s recovered sufficiently, mentioning past incidents reflecting her emotional resilience in response t trauma. Conversation then goes back to her mother’s overprotective attitudes and actions, and how they impacted her, Zoe commenting that "even the most resilient person has their limits". Chasen notes that she does seem to be dealing with the fallout of this well, and they end their session. Zoe then heads to a nearby parking garage, looking for a particular van on the top level; when she finds it, she goes over and waits for the occupants to "abduct" her as part of another fantasy role-play. She is stripped and fondled in the back of the van during the ride, then taken into a house and fondled some more, then gives verbal consent to sex, and enjoys a weekend of being "used" by her "kidnappers" in the house and later at an abandoned building in the city’s North End, where she is left with clothes and instructions for getting to a nearby bus stop. She also calls Andrew – who led the group – and assures him everything is all right as she waits for the bus to take her home. Back at Creston Street, Zoe meets Mickey, the owner of the porn shop on the street, and they talk over lunch. As part of their conversation, Zoe lets it be known that she would be willing to do a session with him for pay, and they agree to the terms. It is a fantasy role-play, done inside one of the video booths in his store before he opens. After they are done and he opens the store, a woman comes in, and is shocked when Zoe makes eye contact with her before leaving. After Zoe gets a room in the Garfield, she sees the woman on the street again, and notices she has dropped a name tag identifying her as a Mormon missionary. Zoe calls out to her and gives her the tag, and they begin to talk, the woman introducing herself as Annike Lund from Sweden, and asking about Zoe's willingness to do sex work. Annike then wonders aloud about hiring Zoe, and Zoe responds that she would be willing to have a session with her. Annike arranges for a two-hour session, and goes with Zoe to her room for sex and conversation, talking about her doubts over Mormonism and her closet lesbianism. After Annike leaves, Zoe thinks about what she learned from her friends in the Free Spirit community, and the importance of their core values. Later she meets Abe at Pop's Diner, they have dinner and then a session in her room. Back on the street, she observes a man being arrested, and Cherise tells her that the woman he had brought reported him for forcing her to turn tricks; Zoe joins Cherise and two gay male sex workers in jeering at the pimp as he is led away. Later Maya points out a potential client to Zoe, a deaf man named Zack. Zoe negotiates a session with him and takes her to his room. When they are done and Zoe is back on the street, the Jezebel Project's vans are there to provide services. She is then approached by Billy, and she takes him to her room for a session, but he begins to behave strangely, then discloses that he is being physically and emotionally abused by his mother with whom he still lives. Zoe calms him down and takes him to Jezebel, where Jane Hardesty and Lateshia Williams provide him with support. Zoe calls it a night, and Cherise extends an offer to talk if need be. The next day, when Zoe checks her lottery ticket, she finds that she’s won over three hundred thousand dollars. She talks with Peri about arranging a date with Bridget; Peri recommends that she "go all out" and make plans for a full day with her at a hotel suite. They discuss the details of a possible date, and Peri suggests that Zoe invest a good portion of her winnings for her retirement. This prompts painful thoughts for Zoe, as she was now almost finished with her list. The day of her date with Bridget has arrived, and Zoe checks into her hotel suite at the Regency Hotel, then prepares for meeting Bridget at the hotel’s upscale restaurant. She is almost intimidated at the sight of her, but Bridget’s charming and flirtatious manner puts her at ease. They enjoy a fine dinner and casual conversation, then proceed to Zoe’s suite for a night of lovemaking and more discussion. Room service delivers breakfast, and they talk some more while they eat. At ten, Zoe answers a knock at the door, where her friend Kitty has arrived in a hotel maid's uniform, part of a pre-arranged setup for a fantasy role-play threesome. After sex, Bridget mentions the possibility of Kitty joining her and one of her regular clients for a similar fantasy – even getting paid for it – and Kitty provides Bridget with her contact information. Zoe and Bridget have lunch at the Tiara, then go back to the suite for more lovemaking. When Bridget asks about the significance of Zoe's large Grim Reaper tattoo, Zoe breaks down and tells her about her hereditary condition and her plans to commit suicide – which she is now having second thoughts about. Bridget tells about her donating bone marrow for her younger sister, who went on to save more lives as a park ranger; she tells Zoe that what she finds important is what we do with our lives, "how we create our place” in the world. Zoe talks about her own situation, begins to cry again, and Bridget comforts her. When they part, Bridget provides her personal phone number in case Zoe wants to talk some more. Doctor Chasen, concerned that Zoe has missed her last few appointments, receives a lengthy letter from her. She mentions how Bridget made her think, how her sex work has provided a meaningful service for others, and how the system of de-facto decriminalization in Stallbrook gives sex workers respect and hope. She concludes the letter stating that she will use the time she has to let others know about the success of Stallbrook's system so that it might be repeated elsewhere. She thanks him for his support, and tells him she has her first speaking engagement soon. Chasen leaves the office, and sees what looks like Zoe driving a small car. After wondering the odds that the woman really is Zoe, he tips his hat as he watches the car drive off, and wishes Zoe good luck. Category:Books in the Free Spirits series